05: The Good Samaritan Pt. 1

“Excuse me I’m looking for Detective Carson. I understand she works at this precinct.”

“And what is your business with the Detective?”

“Oh, it’s a private matter. She’s kindly looking into a case for me and I am just curious if she’s come across new information is all.” The desk sergeant looked up into the eyes of the man and grunted as he pulled the receiver off the base punching in the number to the detective’s unit.

“Yeah, I got a guy out here, says he’s looking for Carson, she in? Alright, I’ll send him up.” He nodded toward an officer sitting near the metal detectors and clicked a button on his desk that sounded the buzzer for the doors beside him. “Up the stairs, second door on the right is the Detectives division.” Sergeant Barnes went back to his computer screen once the visitor disappeared up the flight of stairs.

Walking through a busy hallway and into an even busier room at the Detectives Unit, the man quickly found the person he was looking for and hurried forward to her desk. “There she is! The woman for the job!”

“You again?”

“Miss me?”

“You have some sort of deficiency? What part of ‘next time I see you I’ll arrest you’ didn’t you grasp?”

“The part where you’d have an actual crime to pin me for. Besides, I’m too likeable a guy for you to toss into that cage with those other brutes. But fear not, Detective, I come bearing gifts.”

“Oh yeah? You want to make a confession about something? Because right now, that’s the only thing I want from you.”

“Even better, I have a case for you!” Mike returned in time to see the man sitting beside his partner speaking about a case and added his two cents.

“I think we are perfectly capable of catching our own criminals here. We don’t need some weirdo off the streets walking in with their idea of detective work making our jobs harder.” He grabbed his coffee mug, which he’d forgotten on his first trip to the break room, and started back off in that direction.

“You heard the man. I want no part of whatever it is you’re selling. Besides, you won’t even tell me your name, how do you expect me to trust whatever information you brought in here?”

“What? You get anonymous tips all the time, I’m sure. Are you telling me that you don’t believe them when they call in?”

“Everything from those lines is taken with a grain of salt. We get a lot of loons believing they have the case breaking clue, point in case,” she nodded toward him and returned her attention to her computer screen.

“Ouch, man you really don’t pull the punches, do you?” He looked over his shoulder trying to spot her partner and saw him start a conversation with a woman passing through the hallway. “Ok if I give you my first and last would you take me seriously?”

“I think the reason I’m having a problem taking you seriously is because you make everything into a joke. Like that ‘creature of the night’ crack the last time I saw you.”

“Heh, yeah that, joke. Fine, Detective Victoria Carson,” he smiled when she looked at him over the way he’d used her name. “If you don’t want to hear me out, I’ll find someone who will. Is your captain available? I’m sure he’d love to hear what I have to say.”

“Knock yourself out.” He pulled up from the desk and knocked on the door leading to Captain Mason’s office. He must have allowed him to enter inside, unless he barged in, Victoria thought watching the door close behind the stranger.

She typed up the last of her report and clicked the save button before exiting the Nexus once more. It never ended. Everything required the same amount of documentation; some cases took even more. But it was a necessary evil to ensure her bad guys stayed put.

Victoria had become so engrossed with her next report she didn’t notice Captain Mason starting toward her with a look of displeasure on his face. “Carson, my office, now.”

She glanced briefly at Mike who had finally made it back to his desk before following the captain into the center office. The stranger sat in one of the chairs in front of Mason’s desk. He turned with a half-smile as Victoria entered and moved forward. 

Mason took a seat behind his desk once more and dropped a stack of papers in front of the empty seat motioning for Victoria to sit. “This is Derrick Constantine. Mr. Constantine is a very affluent member of Avondale and his family is good friends with the mayor,” Victoria’s eyes shot toward the man sitting beside her as she’d finally learned his name and the tone in Mason’s voice indicated this was something she’d better pay attention to. “Mr. Constantine has come in here with a large number of accusations and stories concerning a local gang that is housed out of that dive bar on 4^th. Illegal drugs, gambling…”

“What? Then send him over to Vice! I’m a Homicide Detective, Cappy. I don’t handle gambling or narcotics.”

“I’m well aware of your job description, Detective. I also know that this is my house and you’ll go where I put you under my roof. These cases involve much more than just drugs, alcohol and gambling. Several murders have been attributed to this gang,” he pointed toward the top page on the stack of papers and Victoria flipped it over so she could read it.

“Jake Foyers? He’s from one of my unsolved homicides last year. His live-in girlfriend came home and found him in the garage with the car running and a hose leading from the exhaust to the driver’s side window. First on the scene declared it as a suicide but when I dug deeper, I learned that he had multiple threats on his life just recently and a previous homicide attempt. On top of that the items placed around the garage indicated a right-handed person screwed the caps onto the exhaust and Foyers was a lefty.”

“And from what Mr. Constantine has brought in here today, he was also a member of the 4^th Street Riders, an affiliation that was kept secret.”

“Ok, I still don’t understand what all the rest of this has to do with Homicide. If I go too deep and run into a snafu that should  be handled by another department, any defense attorney worth his wages will have anything I found thrown out and accuse me of not treating the case properly.”

“Which is why you’re only investigating the murders. The other charges will be left to their proper departments. Take Mr. Constantine to your desk and allow him to fill you in on the details. See to it that his complaints are handled with your utmost attention. Now if you don’t mind, I am very busy.”

“Captain,” Derrick nodded.

“Always a pleasure, Derrick.”

Victoria exited back out to the detective’s pool and dropped into her chair with a heavy sigh. Derrick sat beside her with the paperwork he’d carried in with him but his customary smirk was noticeably missing from his face. “Hey, I’m sorry about that in there.”

“No, you’re not. It seems that from the moment I met you you’ve been out to give me a hard time.”

“That’s not true. After our first meeting I was mostly just watching the way you work. There aren’t very many people I know who can be shot at and then hours later is riding back toward the same dangerous people who caused it.”

“So, you admit you were stalking me.”

“No. I said I was watching…from a distance.” Victoria looked at him through narrow lids and he chuckled lightly. “Don’t misinterpret my words and twist them to suit your needs, Detective. I only stalk if…”

“The pay is good, I know, I remember.”

“And I really didn’t mean to jam you up with your boss. I just needed some attention on this.”

“And there are plenty of other detectives in this squad that could have helped you.”

“Yes, but none as pretty.” Victoria scowled at him and he bit back his smile. “Besides you are the only one that can handle this and I promise this will be worth your while.”

“Right, whatever. Look I don’t know what it is that you want from me or why you keep popping up the way you do but…let’s just try and get through this case with as little incident as possible please?”

He nodded at her, the smile finally returning to his face. “Thank you. Now can you tell me how you happened upon new evidence in a somewhat cold homicide?”

Derrick leaned forward watching Victoria’s face as he spoke. “What difference does that make? You have everything you need right there to pursue a new lead and get the guy who did this.”

“It makes a huge difference to me, Mr. Constantine. If…”

“Derrick,” he paused her midsentence. “Please, call me Derrick.”

“If I am to pursue this, Mr. Constantine, I need to know how you learned about Foyers’ involvement with the 4^th Street Riders.”

“And that will help you do your job?”

“That will help me figure out which path to take. Look, despite what my captain would have you believe I don’t just follow the orders he barks at me. I like to know where I’m going and what I need to do once I get there. Following random and bizarre facts brought in by every weirdo can lead to a lot of danger. If something feels hinky…”

“Kinky? Are we back to our handcuff conversation from before?” Mike looked up from his computer hearing those words and Derrick smirked as he watched Victoria squirm beneath his scrutiny. She shook her head and her partner went back to what he was doing.

“This isn’t going to work. You brought in the information, you said it’s everything I need and I thank you for that. Please see the desk sergeant on your way out. He’ll give you a voucher for your belongings and a timeframe of when they will be returned.”

“Whoa, hey wait a second, Detective, are you trying to give me the brush off?”

“No, I am thanking a citizen for his tip and kindly showing him the door. Now if you don’t mind.”

Derrick leaned close enough to Victoria that he could feel the warmth of her skin against his. He placed his hands on her desk, towering above her and whispered, “This is too dangerous for you, Victoria. You will need my help. I am a part of this whether you like it or not and I will see this case to the end.”

Dropping back into his seat he noticed the confusion on her face and straightened out his shirt brushing away imaginary lint and wrinkles. “Nice necklace, is it new? It must be; it sparkles like new. Is it from someone special?”

“I fail to see how that is any of your business.”

“I’m just making conversation.”

“Well don’t. The last thing I want is for us to become friends.”

“Aww don’t be like that. I really am a great guy once you get to know me, Detective. So this guy must be a pretty close friend to give you something that expensive.” Victoria stopped and turned toward him and groaned. “I’m just saying. It’s not every day a single woman gets something that would cost about three paychecks.”

Victoria stood and grabbed her keys and case from her desk. “I’m gonna run down a lead,” she announced looking at her partner steadily typing away on his keyboard. “Wanna tag along?”

“Can’t. I have a witness coming in to give her account of how her boyfriend ended up in the freezer of the restaurant where he works. It should be interesting.” He glanced at Derrick and then back at his partner for a moment and motioned to him with his eyes. “Be careful out there, Vik. Call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks. Let’s go,” she growled at Derrick and led the way toward her jeep.

Sliding behind the wheel she waited until he hopped into the passenger seat and pulled away from the station. “Where to first?”

“How about a drink, Victoria?”

“That’s Detective Carson to you, Mr. Constantine. I’m on the job and not about to have a drink with you. Plus, we’re not friends and I’m not here willingly, remember that.”

“Sure if it makes you feel better I’ll pretend for you. Let’s head over to Bar Fly on 4^th. There’s something I need to pick up from there. Oh and uh you might want to leave your badge in the glove compartment, Detective Carson. Where we’re going, they don’t look too kindly on your type.”

They pulled into the parking lot of the bar and Victoria parked on the far left of the establishment. Tourists to Avondale wouldn’t believe this place was opened for business upon first viewing. The building looked condemned and rundown as years of weather and age peeled away the paint and decayed the wood that held it together. Shutters hung loosely on the windows and they beat back against the walls whenever the wind blew. It was a wonder how they had hung on for so long.

The nails that kept them in place were rusted and pushing out of the walls. The pavement had long since suffered from deterioration as had the pond, if you could call it that, looked more like a miniature swamp overrun by grass and weeds and bugs. The lot was cluttered with trash and empty beer bottles and Victoria shuddered to think what the inside looked like. Derrick opened the door for her and she stepped through a fading black curtain and into the main room of the tavern.

The inside smelled of piss and vomit and Victoria pinched her nose to stifle the stench. Several drunks were going about their conversations in the dimly lit room ignoring the fact that she and Derrick were standing in the door. Others turned with scowls and glowered over the newcomers with disdain. “Nice crowd.”

“Wait until they’ve had a few. Then you’ll really enjoy their company!”

“Great,” Victoria sighed. “I can’t wait.” 

Her foot moved half a step forward before the sound of a gun clicking behind her head caused her to freeze in place. She looked to her left and saw Derrick’s eyes pinned on someone standing just out of sight behind her. The barrel of the gun pressed harder against her temple and she drew in a breath and waited. “Don’t move or I’ll blow your brains all over the floor.”

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